Wilting Away
by Petersta
Summary: Abused and violated, Emi strives to regain her confidence and self-worth. Eraserjoke
1. My Life is Meaningless

Staring blankly at herself in the mirror, Emi saw nothing except for emptiness and despair. Wearing only a t-shirt and panties, she could only see herself as a broken, useless object. No man wanted or desired to make her theirs. All they wanted was her body. Normally, Emi would consider herself energetic and optimistic, but reflecting on the last few hours she instantly had been degraded physically and mentally.

Stumbling toward her bedroom, her whole body trembled violently. Making it to her bedroom successfully, Emi flopped onto her bed laying there motionless. She was a delicate, beautiful flower that had lost it radiance and there was nothing she could do to regain innocence. She felt violated in more than one way.

Continually replaying her traumatic experience, her mind resisted her attempts to turn itself off. Feeling only shame, worthlessness, and humiliation, Emi hid away from the world. Considering people looked up to her as a role model since she was a pro-hero, she wanted nothing more than to disappear from the existence of the planet. She couldn't even protect herself from someone's sexual desire and forcing themselves on her.

Hearing her phone explode with notifications and calls, Emi relentlessly ignored it. Disregarding the fact that she was supposed to be on a mission with Eraserhead tonight, she determined it would be better if she didn't show up without leaving any notice. Eraser could care less anyway if she didn't show herself since he could accomplish getting more done without her presence.

Wanting to grieve by shedding tears, she struggled to get any emotion out. The affliction of the incident was eating away the last pieces she had left of her heart.

Detecting a knock on the door, Emi remained in her bed paralyzed.

"Joke, are you home? I've called you like ten times...why won't you answer? It isn't like you not to show."

Listening to his footsteps, Emi recognized his voice instantly. Eraser had come looking for her. Even though she wanted to fantasize that he cared for her the same way she did for him, her mind was too numb to process anything through.

"Joke, what are you doing in bed? We were supposed to meet three hours ago. I accomplished the mission without you, but it felt like something had to be horribly wrong for you not to show up or leave some note."

"..."

"Aren't you going to answer me, Joke? I swear if this is one of your jokes, I'm out." Walking over to her bed, Shouta pushed her so she would be facing him. Making eye contact with one another, he quickly observed her eyes no longer emitted the radiant emerald color that they usually had. "Joke, what happened to you? And tell me the truth; I don't want any bs."

Aware that his jaw tightened and his eyes were boring into her, Emi perceived that Eraser must have cared more for her than he would ever let on. Trying to convince herself that everything was all right, she joked, "Is it that Eraser actually cares for me?"

Pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose, Shouta reprimanded her. "Stop the jokes for once, Emi. Can't you ever take anything seriously!?"

Resisting the urge to cry, Emi unhesitatingly wrapped her arms around Shouta's waist. "Will you stay?" Glancing up at Shouta, tears fell down her cheeks as she sobbed. "I just don't want to be left alone...I'll explain it in time, but the subject is too raw for me to discuss right now. I hope you understand."

Acknowledging there was something horribly wrong with Emi, Shouta pulled her arms off of him. Changing his position, he moved himself over to the bedrest while still holding onto Emi's hand indicating that she could cling to him for the rest of the night knowing that he wouldn't leave her. Taking her in his arms, Shouta soothed her with soft, gentle strokes across her back. Being incredibly patient, Shouta comforted her. "Without knowing what happened, I can't help you much Emi. But whenever you are ready to tell me what happened, I'll be waiting here to listen. I'm not good with emotions which you're certainly aware of, but I do care about your well-being."


	2. Disclosure

Returning from the department store, Emi quickly made her way into the bathroom. Laying the paper box on the counter, she slid down her pants gradually terrified of the awaited results. Conducting the test, she watched the small device for a tedious three minutes anticipating for her new possible future.

Her eyes flooded with tears, staring back at her was a positive mark in the window of the test. "Shit." Emi shuddered. "My life is ruined...I had so much ahead of me at only age twenty."

Heading towards her kitchen, Emi grabbed her purse, reaching down for her phone. She briskly unlocked it and went to her messages. Contemplating who she should go to during this difficult and challenging situation, she clicked on her mom's name only to go back and click on Eraser's name.

Sent 11:34 AM: "Eraser...I don't know what to do. Life is repeatedly submerging me to the point where I don't think I can rise back to the surface anymore…"

Violently shaking, Emi could hear her heart rapidly pace as if her body was fighting to stay alive. Glancing back at her phone, she sent her mom a short, brief message.

Sent 11:35 AM: "Mom, I hope to see you soon. Life hasn't been how I quite expected it to be. Please call me when you get the chance tonight."

*Ding*

Intending to look at her notifications, Emi was instantly interrupted with a call.

"Joke, don't do it."

Confused, Emi questioned, "Eraser? What are you talking about?"

"Don't take your life, Emi. It's not worth it."

Detecting desperateness in his voice, Emi provoked him. "What the heck are you talking about, Eraser? It's not worth what? Being with you? It sounds like you need more confidence…"

"I don't have time for this, Joke...if you're going to take no notice of the seriousness of saying you're going to taking your own life, you have a sicker sense of humor than I thought."

Sensing the coldness in his voice, Emi knew she had crossed the line. "Eraser, no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean my message in that way. I've just been trying suffering, and I didn't know who else to go to other than you."

"And what do you want me to do to help you?"

Fearful that he may hang up on her at any moment, Emi pleaded. "I need someone to lean on...I know it may be hard to believe, but I don't have many close friends. Heck, none of them are in the area. All of them are back home in Kumamoto Prefecture."

"You have no one in the area that you can talk to about your issues?"

Without processing what had been said to her, Emi agreed with him. "Nevermind...I can find someone else to help me out... " Hanging up, she choked back tears as she called her mother. "Mom?"

"Honey? What is it? I'm at work right now. Can this wait?"

Differentiating the impatientness in her mother's voice, Emi mentally broke down. She could no longer fight the tears.

"Emi? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

At a loss for words, Emi found herself unable to speak.

Concerned, Emi's mother pleaded. "Emi? Please talk to me…"

Struggling to find words, Emi uttered. "I'm pregnant."

"WHAT! Emi, you're not even married! Do you know how much trouble this will bring onto our family!"

Her heart shattered at her mother's reaction. She was furious, making it extremely difficult for Emi appeal to her mother. "Mom...I was raped."

Leaving her mom speechless, all Emi could hear was her mother's breathing contemplating what to say to her distressed daughter. "You could get an abortion and avoid all the public disgrace."

"I'm not doing that...the baby didn't do anything wrong. I at least want to give him or her up for adoption."

Aware that it would be challenging for her daughter especially without a husband in the Japanese community, Emi's mother suggested. "Darling, if you come home, we can get this all sorted out, and you won't have to think about a thing."

Irritated that her mother refused to accept her wishes, Emi reprimanded her. "It's never about what I want...I'm tired of being told what to do! I'm going to have this baby, and that's final." As she hung up, Emi turned around to find an intruder with scruffy, long, black hair.

Cognizant that he threw her off guard, Shouta shut his eyes deliberating on how to approach her with the issue.

Without hesitation, Emi questioned, "How much did you hear?"

"Everything from you're not giving up the baby up for adoption." Shouta plainly stated.

"Let me explain myself, Eraser. It's not what you think...I'm not a slut." Emi pitifully pointed out.

Crossing his arms across his chest, Shouta curtly posed her."Fine, but why do you involve me in this?"

Glaring down at her feet, Emi mumbled, "There is no one who I trust enough to share this information with."

"They'll find out eventually. It's not too difficult to tell when a woman is pregnant." Shouta said crossly.

Interjecting, Emi flatly stated, "I was raped."

At a loss for words, Shouta stood there dumbfounded. He didn't know what to do. Here he thought that she had gotten herself into this situation by sleeping around; instead, she had been taken advantage of leaving her shattered only for someone else to help her put the pieces back together.

"Listen. It happened that night when you came over, but everything was so fresh then…" Tensing up her fists, Emi was critical of herself as she spoke. "It's just that I don't want many people to know. I'm a pro-hero, and I can't even protect myself. It's pathetic."

"Emi, don't say that…" Processing his thoughts, Shouta offered, "I suppose I can support you during this time, but I have to warn you that I have no idea what I'm doing."

Slightly smiling, Emi softly threw her phone on the counter as she accepted his offer. "I would like that very much." Moving towards her living room, Emi dropped herself on her sofa. Dragging her hands down her face, she thought-through her options considering her future. "I just don't know what to do, Eraser... what do I tell the agency?"

"Be frank with them. Let them know what happened. Maybe they can work something out with you." Shouta indicated as he moved across the room to sit beside her.

Widening her eyes, Emi threw her hands crying out, "Do you know how that will affect me? I'll become an outcast!"

Leaning his elbows on his knees, Shouta addressed to her. "You won't know unless you try. What else are you going to do, Joke?"

"I suppose I can...I just feel so hopeless, Eraser." Bursting into tears, Emi threw herself into his arms.

Wrapping his arms around her, Shouta stroked her back trying to comfort her. Sitting there awkwardly, he waited for her to say something.

Looking up at him, Emi confided in him. "I wish we could be spending time with each other under different circumstances."

Turning scarlet, Shouta quickly showed his embarrassment.

Chuckling some, Emi teased, " Awww, do you actually enjoy spending time with me, Eraser?"

Shuddering at her words, Shouta informed her. "We haven't spent any time with each other than that one time I comforted you and our missions. And I would say I tolerate you."

"Aww, you don't have to lie about it, Eraser." Adjusting herself to sit up, Emi whispered in his ear. "I've seen the way you look at me after all."

"Dammit, Emi! Will you ever know when to stop?" Trying to recuperate himself, Shouta took a deep breath. "What if you try relaxing for once? Have you ever done that even?"

"HA! You're funny! You're lucky if my mind isn't racing at a million miles an hour." Resting her head against his chest, she remarked. "How are you always so relaxed all the time? Listening to your heartbeat is so soothing."

Unsure of how to reply to her comment, Shouta leaned back into the sofa taking her with him. Watching her stretch her legs out on the couch, so she laid fully on it, he gently grazed her back calming her to the point that she fell asleep. Not wanting to wake her up, he decided to fall asleep as he continued to embrace her.


	3. Attempting to Move Forward

Checking into the doctor's office, Emi patiently sat waiting for her name to be called. Reflecting on the past three months, she knew how pathetic she must have looked to everyone. Telling her boss about her situation and how she didn't want to risk the health of the baby during the next nine months had gone better than she thought it would go. He was incredibly supportive, but she couldn't help, but feel his judgment on her. Supposedly, she would be able to work at home for the next ten months visiting his office every few weeks to discuss her upcoming assignments. It was too good to be true. She couldn't wrap her mind around why her boss would be so supportive of her and her issues. Heck, the fact that Shouta had been so supportive of her and her decision was enough to give her reassurance that she had people who cared for her well-being.

Interrupting Emi's daydreaming, a dark-haired nurse in light blue scrubs called, "Emi."

Getting onto her feet, Emi made her way over to the nurse.

"Follow me."

Passing through the door and into the hallway, the nurse asked Emi to step onto the scale and stand against the wall. After the nurse had finished, they walked down a few halls before entering a room where Emi would be taking her ultrasound. Sitting down in the chair next to the blood pressure cuff, Emi rolled up her sleeve knowing that the nurse would have to check her general health.

Completing everything else the nurse needed, Emi killed time waiting by messaging Shouta.

Sent 9:17 AM: "Are you still up?"

Putting her phone aside briefly, Emi scanned the room. Only to find pamphlets and posters about having a healthy pregnancy and how to raise a child, Emi returned to her phone.

Received 9:18 AM: "I went to bed earlier than usual last night. Hizashi said he made a reservation for today...not too thrilled about that. Want to come so I don't have to deal with Hizashi repeatedly trying to introduce me to everyone."

Pondering about if she wanted to go out and spend time with Eraser and his friends or not, Emi weighed down her positives and negatives. The positives being that she would be spending time with her crush and it would take her mind off of her thoughts of hopelessness. The negative being...well, nothing.

Sent: 9:25 AM: "Is Hizashi the roommate/childhood friend you were talking about?"

Biting her lip, Emi suspected she could egg him on without saying yes or no.

Received 9:26 AM: "Yes."

Annoyed from his short response, Emi puffed out her cheeks as she typed out a reply.

Sent 9:26 AM: "So are you going to use me only to get away from socially interacting with everyone?"

Received 9:27 AM: "No. I thought you might like to do something that would take your mind off of things."

Sighing, Emi deliberated what to say next.

Sent 9:29 AM: "Do you think that I can't figure out any other way to stay relaxed other than going out with you?"

Received: 9:29 AM: "Stop being so difficult, Joke. Just say yes or no for this evening. It's that simple."

Hearing a knock on the door, Emi jolted in her chair. Setting her phone in her purse, she turned her attention to the technician.

"Ms. Fukukado, my name is Akari Kimura. I'll be doing your ultrasound today. If you could situate yourself on the examination table."

Seating herself on the table, Emi noticed the technicians confident stature. She was gorgeously dressed in purple scrubs and different tints of brown going through her dark brown hair.

"Okay, so I need you to slide up your shirt to your bra line and depending on your pants, you may have unbuttoned them. We'll be able to adjust you accordingly so no pressure.."

Laying herself down on the table, Emi pulled her top to her bra line. Waiting only to have the ultrasound gel put onto her, she braced herself for the coldness of the gel against her skin. Having the gel spread around her belly, the technician applied the transducer to her skin.

"Okay, it should not take us long to find the baby." Observing the machine as she moved the device across Emi's stomach, the technician publicized, "There's the head, and that would be the body. Looks like he or she is in a comfortable position. Good news is it looks like they're healthy. Would like you like to hear their heartbeat?"

"You can do that already?" Emi asked.

"Yup, we sure can!"

Chewing on her bottom lip, Emi contemplated whether or not it would make her more attracted to the baby. "Yeah, I would like that very much."

Pressing a few buttons on the machine, Akari stated, "Okay, here is the little one's heartbeat."

Listening to her child's heart, Emi could distinguish the steady beat of her little one. Overwhelmed with the sight of her baby, her eyes filled with tears.

Noticing that Emi was crying, the technician tried comforting her. "It's alright, miss. The baby's heartbeat is perfectly healthy, so there is nothing to worry about!"

"I know. It just makes everything seem so real." Emi explained as she dabbed her eyes with her sleeve.

"But this is real." Said the nurse plainly.

Smiling, Emi verified the nurse's comment. "I know. It's just a lot to take in."

Finishing up her appointment, Emi was sent home with a photograph of the ultrasound. Putting it in her wallet for safekeeping, she checked her phone for any messages.

Received 9:46 AM: "Are you trying to make me apologize for something I said because I'm not."

Received 9:50 AM: "Seriously, Joke. Why can't you just let me know if you're going to come or not. It's not that difficult."

Received 10:15 AM: "I'm taking it as a no then…"

Giggling at the frustration of the hero, Emi quickly typed out a message to send.

Sent 10:50 AM: "Eraser, I didn't know that you wanted to hang out with me that badly! You could have told me earlier, and I would have gone on a date with you way before then!"

Covering her mouth with her hand, Emi couldn't contain herself from cracking up.

Received 10:51: "You never can take anything seriously, Joke. For the record, this will not be a date."

Tapping her nose, Emi debated what to say back.

Sent 10: 54: "Eraser, you don't want to admit how much fun it would be for both of us! ;) ;)"

Received 10:55 AM: "I'll pick you up at 6:15 sharp. Be sure to wear something appropriate; we're not going to a circus."

Returning home, Emi spent the whole time deep in thought about spending time with Eraser and his friends. Would it take anything off her mind if she came along with them? Should she share with him what she was doing while they were talking earlier? What was she to wear? How much time should she spend with him there?

Finally reaching her destination, Emi plopped into bed to take a nap to get some rest for her night out. Setting her alarm to 5:00 PM, she got herself comfortable before eventually falling asleep.

*5:00 PM: Sanctuary by Hikaru Utada starts*

Reaching for her alarm, Emi dragged herself out of bed and into the shower. Turning on the shower, Emi quickly brushed her teeth before jumping into the shower. Adjusting the temperature, she stood over the water getting her hair and the rest of her body wet. Adding shampoo to her hair, she scrubbed her scalp making sure her hair would smell nice if Eraser got a whiff of her hair. Rinsing the shampoo out, she applied conditioner to her hair. Deciding that she wanted to be in top condition for tonight, she got her razor out shaving her armpits and legs. Finishing shaving, she washed her body thoroughly with tree tea body wash hoping to get rid of all the blemishes off of her skin. Getting the conditioner and soap off of her skin, Emi drenched herself under the water.

Feeling nauseated all of a sudden, Emi experienced flashbacks of what happened that night. Not wanting to recall her past, she attempted to push away her emotions and memories that she felt that day. Turning off the shower, she jumped out of the shower and messaged Eraser.

Sent 5:32: "Eraser...I'm sorry to ask this, but would you be able to come earlier?"

Putting her phone down, Emi stared into the mirror only to see the reflection of a supposed young woman with her confidence stolen from her. Tears streaming down her face, she grabbed a towel wrapping it around her as she headed down to her bedroom. Drying herself in a hurry, she wrapped the towel around her head. Deciding to wear a red long sleeved short dress along with black leggings, she added a black scarf and black flats to accessorize it. Walking up to her mirror, she fixed her hair into a messy bun putting in bobby pins to perfect it.

"Joke?"

Jolting from where she was standing, Emi ran down the hall to yell at the intruder. "What the hell was that, Eraser! You didn't even knock!"

"Actually, I did. When you didn't answer after ten minutes, I decided to pick your lock." Shouta explained as he brushed his hair back.

"So you decide you can intrude into other people's homes if they don't answer? You could have called you know!" Barked Emi with disgust.

"Again, I called you twice, but no one answered. You're not going to win this one, Joke." Shouta specified.

Walking away, Emi sat down on her sofa resting her head in her hand looking as if she was deep in thought.

"Emi, listen. If it bothers you, I won't do it next time. I guess I was just worried since you texted me in what seemed to be a frantic state…" Sitting on her coffee table, Shouta sat across from her. Cupping her face, he made eye contact with her. "Emi, I need you to listen to me. I'm honored to have you say that you trust me, especially with this situation. I need you to believe in yourself though, see your self-worth."

Giving a fake smile, Emi couldn't help, but feel indifferent. He couldn't understand how she felt; he didn't go through what she went through, the humiliation, the suffering, the torment. How was anyone supposed to get past that type of situation?

"Emi...Emi...Emi, listen. We're going to both have a good night tonight, and hopefully, it'll help you to see the life that you bring to other people."

Rolling her eyes at him, Emi replied. "Whatever you say…"

Shifting his hands to grasp hers, Shouta gently stroked them with his thumbs hoping to soothe her. Remembering what Emi had asked him to come over for, he asked, "So why did you ask me to come over?"

Glaring at her lap, Emi whimpered, "I was feeling hopeless. So you telling me that I should see the self-worth in myself, I can't help, but think that you're lying to my face. Some days, it feels like I'm struggling to survive. I've developed PTSD from this, Shouta."

"Have you seen anyone for this?" Shouta said with sympathetically.

"I see a counselor. I haven't gone to a psychiatrist since I want to stay away from meds that could affect the baby." Switching the subject, Emi continued. "I went to get my ultrasound today. The baby is perfectly healthy."

Pleased to hear the baby was in excellent condition, Shouta's eyes lit up. "That's fantastic, Emi!"

"Yeah, but seeing my child and hearing the heartbeat…" Starting to choke up, Emi tried fighting back the tears. "...was too much. I wanted to share that special moment with my husband, excited about the life that we are going to bring into this world together. Instead, I'm going in there alone with no one to share this precious moment with…"

Creasing his forehead, his hands tightened around Emi's. "I'm so sorry that it has to be that way for you. I promise you that someday you will find someone out there for you."

Getting up onto her feet, Emi advanced towards his door grabbing her purse and phone along the way. "Ready, prince charming?"

"What?" Unsure about what was going on, Shouta followed Emi to the door. Leading her in hand to their destination, they were greeted by Hizashi.

"Yo, is this your date?" Questioned Hizashi with a sly smile.

Alternating glancing at Hizashi and Emi, Shouta tightened his jaw. "Hizashi, this is Emi Fukukado, and she's just a good friend."

Resting her hand on his shoulder, Emi's eyes sparkled as she was intrigued about what she could find out about Shouta from Hizashi. She taunted, "That's not what you told me, Eraser!"

Removing her hand off his shoulder, Shouta gave her a cold stare. "We talked about this, Joke. This is not a date."

"Seems like a date to me. Seeing the two of you arrive here hand-in-hand, it looked as if you two were maybe already an item." Dictated Hizashi.

Without saying anything, Shouta walked in the building only to realize he had no idea where their reservation was.

Motioning his hand forward, Hizashi passed Shouta as he led the two through the hotel lobby and into the elevator to the 38th floor. "Here it is! Nemuri and Tensei are the only two that you'll know, Shouta. I would love to introduce you to the others eventually."

Turning his face away, Shouta specified, "Um, I'll think I'll pass."

Wrapping her arm around Shouta's, Emi pleaded, "Would you introduce me to your friend's Eraser? I would love to meet them!"

Lifting one eyebrow, Hizashi prodded the two. "So are those nicknames you have for each other, pet names?"

Holding her hand against her mouth to contain her laughter, Emi glimpsed at Shouta. He had turned beet red.

Staring wide-eyed at the ground, he clenched his hands into fists. "Why can't I ever get a day away from the neverending questions…"

Yanking Shouta away from Hizashi, Emi advanced towards Nemuri and Tensei. "Hey, are you Nemuri and Tensei? I've been told that you two are friends of Shouta 's."

Pulling away from Emi's grasp, Shouta briefly addressed them. "I wouldn't call them friends, necessarily. I would say they're more like colleagues."

Pursing her lips, Nemuri commented, "Come on, Shouta. I would say that we're much more than colleagues considering our past. Especially you and Tensei are more than colleagues."

Raising an eyebrow, Emi hesitated to say. "Sounds risque. I would have never of thought you were the type to do anything vulgar."

"I'm not. This is why I try to stay away from events like this. People are constantly saying stuff that isn't true, and people wonder why I'm not in the spotlight. It's because of stupid that people choose to believe and spread around that I choose to stay an underground hero." Shouta snappily replied.

Badgering Shouta even more, Nemuri smirked. "You don't know how to have fun, Shouta. If only you could find someone to get, you to come out of your shell. I thought Hizashi would do that for you, but it seems like he failed. Anyway, who is this doll?"

"This is Emi Fukukado aka Ms. Joke. Otherwise, known as the Smile Hero." Shouta explained.

Smiling ear to ear, Emi extended her arm forward for a handshake. Firming shaking both Nemuri and Tensei's hands, she acknowledged each of them with a friendly greeting. "It's great to meet both of you. Perhaps, we'll work on some mission together someday."

"I've heard of you before, Ms. Joke is it? What does your quirk do exactly? I'm guessing you tend to make your opponents smile somehow since that is your name." Hypothesized Tensei.

Resting a hand on her hip, Emi clarified for them. "Actually my quirk forces people to laugh to the point where it impairs cognitive and motor skills. It's called Outburst."

"Sound intriguing. So how did you and Shouta meet?" Nemuri raised with a glint in her eye.

"Time and again, Joke and I tend to be paired up by our agencies on our missions. That's how we met; nothing exciting." Shouta laid out for them as he gave a dismissive hand wave.

"That's how we met, but our relationship has bloomed throughout the years, Eraser." Emi declared with a sly smile.

"What did I miss everyone?" Interrupted Hizashi with a drink already in hand.

Hastily, Shouta retorted. "Nothing."

Prompting her fist on her hip, Nemuri criticized him. "You're seriously going to lie to your best friend, Shouta? That's unfortunate."

Turning towards the bar, Shouta made his way towards the bar as he indicated to all of them. "I'm not hiding anything. It's just not anything important enough for him to spend his time and energy in."

"Classic, Shouta." Commented Tensei.

Tilting her head in confusion, Emi asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"He hasn't changed since his time at UA. Always avoiding confrontation, he never was one to form relationships. Seeing the two of you come in together was quite surprising, to be honest." Tensei exposed.

"Or maybe you just didn't get to understand him as well as you thought you did." Emi snarled in aggravation. Leaving the three, Emi headed to the bar hoping to catch back up with her friend.

Aware of his surrounds, Shouta noticed Emi in the corner of his eyes coming towards him. Seating herself next to him, Shouta initiated conservation with her. "How come you ended up leaving them?"

Dryly, Emi reported. "They were too judgemental...not the type of crowd that I could see myself with."

"I wouldn't say they're judgemental. Tensei, I've known since my time at UA. He was mine and Hizashi's class' representative. I would say that in general, he's just curious about what we've been up to. Nemuri isn't judgemental; she's just very nosey. She's constantly getting into people's business."

"That doesn't explain their comments after you left though…"

"Why was that?"

Hurt, Emi testified what was said. "Well, actually it was just Tensei's comment. He said it was typical of you to leave like that pretty much. You're always avoiding confrontation, and you rarely form relationships. He also said how surprised he was to see the two of us come here together."

"Well, he's not wrong about any of that."

Shooting him a nasty glare at him, Emi dictated, "Shouta Aizawa, I don't see that in you as a person. If someone wanted to be in your life, they would continue to pursue it. They would show that they cared enough to earn your trust and respect."

Taking a sip from his gin and tonic, Shouta admitted, "I respect both of them well enough. I'm not going to get into detail on who I trust more, but I'm not one to let people into my life like that. No one has continued to hang around me except for Hizashi."

Placing the tips of her fingers on her lips, Emi revealed. "So, Hizashi has been the only one to maintain their relationship with you? Hmmm, I guess that is all you need right now then."

Turning to face her, Shouta reassured her. "Emi, stop assuming. I never said what I needed or didn't need."

Waving at the bartender, Emi asked him. "Excuse me, sir. Could I get a sprite? Thank you!" Returning her focus on Shouta, she replied, "Yet, you're not afraid to push people out of your life…"

Eyes locked on his gin and tonic, Shouta responded with warmth in his voice. "Emi, I'm not going to push you out of my life, if that is what you're worried about."

Tears shimmering in her eyes, Emi uttered, "Shouta, stop telling me what I want to hear. I'm just going to leave so you don't have to continue lying to my face."

As she got up, Shouta clasped onto a wrist and pulled her to him. "Emi, I haven't lied to you. Why would I have invited you here if I didn't enjoy your company?"

Taking in a deep breath, Emi attempted to compose herself. As she was about to say something, Shouta brought his fingers to her lips sending chills down her spine. Leaving enough money for both of their drinks plus a tip, Shouta took her hand and led her to the elevator.

Noticing that Shouta and Emi were leaving, Hizashi ran over to the two. "Yo, why are you leaving already?"

"I think it'd be best if the two of us left." Noted Shouta.

"Both of you just arrived just over an hour ago. Can't you stay for a few more hours?" Pleaded Hizashi.

"I'll explain everything at our apartment tonight. Sorry for leaving so soon, Hizashi." Entering the elevator and leaving Hizashi behind them, Shouta directed her in hand on their new destination.

"Where are we going, Eraser?"

"You'll find out eventually."

Entering an apartment building, Emi could only guess that they were going to his place.

"Should I be honored that you're bringing me to your place?"

Shrugging, Shouta muttered, "Take it however you will." Getting to his door, he unlocked the door holding it open for Emi. "Do you want any tea?"

"Sure." Scanning his apartment, Emi saw little color. Making it into his living room, she discovered stereo-systems, loads of albums, and a few cat decorations spread throughout the space. "Whose items are these?"

"The music items are Hizashi; the rest is mine," Shouta replied as he set the kettle on the stove.

"Didn't know you were a cat lover. I could have shown you my cat in my apartment…"

Amazed that she had a cat, Shouta approached her. "Always saw you more of a dog person than a cat person."

"I like dogs, but cats have always appealed to me more." Turning her head to face Shouta, Emi instantly put forth, "Anyway, how come you brought me over to your place?"

"Thought it would be better for you to be somewhere else than at your place since you're there all the time. Plus I wanted you to meet Hizashi eventually."

Hearing the tea go off, Emi went over to move the kettle off the stove. "Where are the teacups?"

Grabbing a pot holder, and two sets of teacups, Shouta motioned for Emi to follow him to the coffee table with the kettle. Setting everything down, he sat down on the sofa waiting for Emi to sit beside him.

Pouring a cup of tea for both of them, Emi sat down as she held her teacup. "So how did you and Hizashi meet?"

"We met at UA."

"And the two of you just became close?"

"Hizashi was more interested in establishing the relationship between us. I was just a depressed loner otherwise. I was content with that."

"Isn't that still you?"

"A depressed loner?"

"Not depressed, but a loner."

"Yeah, but enough about me; let's talk about you, Emi."

Taking a sip from her tea, Emi glanced at him only to return to her drink.

Laying his hand on her thigh, Shouta gently rubbed it with his thumb. "I wish I could get you to relax. You've been so tense for the last few months, and I understand why. It hurts to see you in this type of condition though."

Shifting herself toward Shouta, Emi confided, "Continue to do what you're doing right now. The support, compassion, kindness… The care that you show me. It means so much more than you'll ever know."

Wrapping his arm around her waist, Shouta brought her closer to him, so she was against him. Grabbing the tea in her hand and putting it down on the plate, he cuddled her in as he laid-back onto the couch.

"What are you doing, Eraser?"

Bringing a finger to her lips, Shouta quieted her. "Shhhh. Just take your mind off of everything. Breath in and out and relax your mind."

Closing her eyes, Emi tried focusing on her breathing. Instead, she began listening to Shouta's heartbeat. It was very soothing. Steady in beat, she felt as if she was a newborn baby lulled by their mother's heartbeat. Her eyes slowly drifted off, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep in Shouta's arms.


	4. Pathetically

Waking up to the sound of the door, Emi shifted her weight enough to see who had entered the house. Finding Hizashi in the refrigerator about to make some food, Emi contemplated whether or not she should say something.

Looking behind him, Hizashi spotted two emerald green eyes staring at him. Thinking he should apologize for waking her up, Hizashi remarked, "Sorry, I tried as best as I could to enter the apartment quietly, but I had no idea there was someone on the couch. Where is Shouta by the way?"

"Oh, he's right here by me," Emi stated as she turned to glance at Shouta. He was still fast asleep. Attempting to remove his grip around her, Emi got up only to be pulled back down.

Pulling her in, Shouta softly whispered, "Where are you going?"

Startled, Emi widened her eyes as she swung her head around.

Confused, Shouta narrowed his eyes. "What's with the look?"

"I wasn't expecting you to be awake," Emi said quietly.

"I wasn't, not until I felt you move away."

Astonished at his words, Emi turned red.

Amused that he had embarrassed Emi, Shouta lifted a corner of his mouth.

Unaware of what was exactly happening, Hizashi questioned the two. "Hey, guys. Is everything alright over there?"

Gazing into each other's eyes, Shouta spoke up, "We're fine, Hizashi. Would you mind coming over here after you're done? I want to introduce you to Emi properly."

Finishing the last few seconds of making instant rice, Hizashi approached the two of them with his bowl of rice and chopsticks in his hand. "Sorry, I have the munchies right now. It seems like I drank too much."

Softly chuckling, Emi specified, "There's no reason for you to apologize. It's not like Eraser or I don't know what you're going through right now."

Observing both of them, Hizashi decided to sit down. Using his chopsticks, Hizashi fidgeted with his chopsticks anxiously. "You're right. Listen, I'm sorry that both of you had to leave tonight. I feel horrible. Is there any way I can make that up to both of you?"

Adjusting himself to talk to Hizashi respectfully, Shouta sat up hauling Emi along with him. "It's not an issue, Hizashi. Everything is fine. Plus it wasn't anything you did, so why stress about it."

"I know." Sighed Hizashi. "I just wanted everyone to have a good time and when you both left...I felt like I failed as a host."

Trembling her lower lip, Emi confessed, "If anything it's my fault for the reason we left…"

Tightening his grip around Emi, Shouta clenched his jaw in frustration. Taking a deep breath, he indicated what happened earlier that night. "Joke is not your fault. Many factors caused things to end up the way they did. I could have been more approachable and friendly." Thinking things through, Shouta hesitated to say anything. Knowing he had to say something, he announced. "Life has been incredibly difficult for Emi lately, and I thought it would take her mind off things if she came. Because I was the one who caused the mess in the first place, you both can blame me for what happened."

"Does Hizashi know?" Emi questioned.

"Know what?" Hizashi replied with a creased forehead.

"No, he doesn't. All he knows is what I told him so far." Shouta reassured Emi as he rubbed her back.

Fixing her eyes at her lap, Emi nervously played with her fingers. "Should I tell him?" She muttered.

Wrapping his fingers around her face, Shouta stated, "Only if you feel comfortable doing so."

Taking a deep breath, Emi stuttered, "Since Eraser speaks so highly of you and you seem like a respectable, I'll tell you what happened…." Exhaling, she continued, "I was raped."

Lost, Hizashi could not form words. "I'm….a...I'm…."

Drawing a breath, Emi commented. "It's fine. Things happen. I'm also pregnant which may or not be noticeable."

"I'm so sorry, Emi. Are you planning on getting an abortion?" Hesisted Hizashi.

"No." Quickly answered Emi. "I'm going to give the baby up for adoption." Adding that, she continued to fidget with her fingers.

"Well, if you ever need anything, you can let me know," Hizashi informed her.

Pressing her fingers together, Emi twitched the corners of her mouth. "Thank you." Grabbing her tea from a few hours ago, she sipped the cold tea.

"Joke, let me take that. I'll make you some more tea." Taking the cup from Emi's hands, Shouta proceeded into the kitchen.

"I think it's time for me to leave. It's super late, and I should get home." Emi pointed out as she chewed on her lip.

Sensing she was agitated, Shouta placed the cup into the sink. Wanting to relieve her pain and stress, he advanced towards her. Taking her in his arms, he purred in her ear. "Why don't you stay, Joke?"

Remaining where she was, Emi gave a soft smirk. "I never knew you were so touchy, Eraser."

With his face flushed, Shouta retorted, "...I want to make sure you're safe that's all."

Emi's smile faded from her face. Helpless, she felt like she could never do anything ever to protect herself again and it seemed like no one else believed in her ability to do so too. Refraining from saying anything, she pushed his hands off of her. Leaving Shouta baffled, she walked out the door and began her way home.

Getting onto the subway, Emi scanned her surroundings. There were very few people around at this time of night. Checking her phone for the time, she noticed she had two unread messages from Shouta.

Received 2:44 AM: "Joke, I don't understand why you left...was it something I said? Hizashi and I are both worried about you."

Received 2:58 AM: "Emi, can you at least let me know if you're okay. I couldn't deal with myself if something happened to you."

Rolling her eyes, Emi got off the subway and walked the few blocks to her apartment. As she made her way home, she made sure that her cellphone was ready for her to call for help if anything happened. It was pathetic that she couldn't handle a situation like that since she was a pro-hero, she thought.

Recalling that night from a couple of months ago as Emi walked up to the stairs of her apartment, she remembered that her body had been paralyzed. She couldn't move her body whatsoever, and her quirk would not activate. She was powerless. Without any way to defend herself or fight back, she laid there motionless as he forced himself on her.

Making it to her apartment door, Emi stood there frozen as she experienced all the emotions she had felt that night. Letting the tears stream down her face, she attempted to unlock the door as she fumbled around the keys in her hands. Trying to stop her hands shake continuously, she finally managed to open the door.

"Good morning, Miya." Emi whimpered to her cat. Shuffling her way through her house, she struggled to get ready for bed while she continued to remember all of her memories from that night.

Quickly peeking at her phone, she saw two missed calls and a text message. Opening her phone, Emi realized she had never responded back to Shouta.

Received 3:26 AM: "Emi, why won't you answer? I've decided I'm going to go out searching for you since you're incapable of replying back… How do you think it makes me feel knowing that you don't care about whether or not to tell me you're safe?"

Deciding she probably message Shouta back, Emi started typing out a reply.

"I made it home. You don't have to worry about me anymore. I can explain it to you another day."

Sent.

Immediately after she sent the message, her phone beeped.

Received 3:29 AM: "Open your door."

Walking to her door, Emi peered through her peephole. "AH!" Startled, she yelped. Deciding that she should allow him in, she fiddled with the locks before opening the door. "What the heck are you doing here, Eraser?!" Cried Emi.

"Says the one who couldn't even reply to any of my messages or calls for the last hour or more." Inviting himself in, Shouta lightly nudged her to move aside. Shutting the door behind him, he turned towards Emi only to study her closely. "It was something I said, wasn't it?" He speculated.

Tilting her head to the side, Emi uttered, "Yeah…"

Cupping her face, Shouta gazed into her eyes as he considered how to approach her without hurting her even more. Resting his hand on her shoulder, he reassured her. "Emi, would you please let me know what I did? It hurts me to know that I was cause for you to become so distressed and withdrawn."

"Hmm." Leaving the room to go to her bedroom, Emi decided she had enough for tonight.

Grasping onto her hand before she got too far, Shouta asserted, "You can't just ignore the problem, Emi! I want to help you. I can't do that if you aren't willing to tell me what is wrong."

Opening her mouth to speak, Emi hesitated as she pursed her lips together unsure about the whole situation. "I feel weak, Shouta. Is that enough for you? I feel like I'm not strong enough to protect myself anymore since I got myself into this situation. I'm pathetic, and we all know it. You even said so yourself that you were worried about my safety." Overpowered by all her emotions, Emi darted to her bedroom.

Dumfounded, Shouta stood there paralyzed. Ashamed of what he had said to Emi earlier, he slowly advanced towards Emi's room. As he entered the room, he instantly spotted Emi crying with her covers wrapped around her. Approaching her, he climbed into her bed to embrace her in his arms.

Without struggling, Emi resisted any temptation to kick him out or push him off of her bed. Cuddling into his chest, she softly sobbed letting her tears soaked through his shirt.

Running his fingers through her hair, Shouta cooed, "Emi, I've realized how much you mean to me. It's not that I don't think you can't take care of yourself; I want you to be safe mentally and physically."

Persisting in holding and comforting her, Shouta waited for Emi to fall asleep. After she fell asleep, he wiped each cheek of her tears and covered her up with her blankets making sure she felt secure and safe that night. Determining it was alright for him to fall asleep, he made sure to keep Emi in a warm, loving embrace.


	5. Proposal

Laying down on the examination table, Emi watched the ultrasound screen as the technician glided the transducer against her stomach.

Turning her head to face Emi, the technician asked, "Would you like to know the gender of your baby?"

Pausing to consider what should be done, Emi answered, "Hmmm, I think I'll pass."

"That's fine. Well, it looks like the baby is perfectly healthy. I'll be sending information to the doctor to talk to you at your next appointment."

Finishing up her appointment with the technician, Emi was given another photo of the baby. Carefully putting it in her wallet, she headed to work for her biweekly meeting with her boss.

Dropping into Insightfulness office, Emi sat in front of her boss' desk.

Turning around in her chair to face Emi, Insightfulness finally acknowledged her. "Good morning, Emi. How has everything been going so far?"

Biting her lip, Emi slumped her shoulders. "It has been okay, Furuta. Enough about me. I looked into the cases that you wanted me to gather info on and here is some. I'll be looking for more along the way. Do you want me to continue working on those cases or?" She finished saying as her face tensed up from dismissing her boss' concern for her.

"Emi, I know you're not telling me everything. You have to be honest with me for me to trust you and understand what you're struggling with." Furuta injected.

Looking down at her thighs, Emi clenched her hands in frustration. Contemplating what to share with her boss, she uttered, "I don't want to seem like a constant problem to everyone. It constantly feels like everyone has to watch over me...it's pathetic for a pro-hero to require that continually." Glancing up, she discovered a soft grin on her boss' face.

"Emi, there are always going to be times when we feel worthless or helpless, and I'm not saying that I understand how you feel because I don't. My only acknowledgment for you is that your friends are concerned about your well-being. If it bothers you that much, address it to them. It can't be solved unless they know about it from you." Insightfulness dictated.

Reflecting on what her boss had said to her, Emi held the side of her hand to her face. Finally coming up with something to say, Emi commented. "I have, but I don't think that person will back away."

With a canny smile, Insightfulness asked, "Is this Eraserhead?"

Emi's face flushed a deep red. She cautiously stated, "Umm, why?"

"I've seen the way he looks at you, Emi. The way that you two interact with one another tells me there is some relationship between the two of you." Furuta specified with a gleam in her eye.

Furrowing her eyebrows, Emi replied, "I wouldn't say that anything is going on between us. Sure, I've liked him, but that doesn't mean anything is going to happen especially now."

Giving a small laugh, Furuta asserted, "So it is Eraserhead then! Looking at that info, I would say the only way to have him stop checking up on you is to break his heart and kick him out of your life."

"What...that does not sound right...I doubt that is the only way to have him stop worrying about him." Emi remarked with wide eyes.

"Well, any friend would continue to worry about a friend. I have to say that it doesn't seem like Eraserhead allows many people into his life or if he does, he doesn't share a whole lot with you." Insightfulness mused.

Pursing her lips, Emi confessed. "Maybe, I should talk to him about setting boundaries between us…"

Feeling accomplished, Furuta changed the subject. "So I have some new cases for you to look into actually…"

Continuing to discuss Emi's new cases, the two talked for an hour longer. Finishing their meeting, Emi gave Furuta a proper farewell before heading back home. Instead of returning home immediately, Emi wandered around town to window shop. Being in downtown Tokyo, she took her time as she went in and out of shops to look for something that appealed to her. She spent a few hours searching for an item that spoke to her until she finally found a pet store. Why was it that Shota didn't have a cat in his apartment? Were they not allowed? Did Hizashi not like cats? Entering the shop, she made her way through the store until she found where the cats were kept. Turning around the corner of an aisle, she heard soft meows close by. "Where are you guys?" She whispered under her breath. Determined to find the cats, she persisted in her search. As she walked two aisles in, she found what she was looking for. There were so many different types of cats from small kittens to older adults. Varying in color, she began the search for the perfect cat for Shouta.

"Can I help you ma'am" Called a worker walking over to her.

"Yes, I would like to get a cat." Answered Emi as she scanned each cage for the right cat.

"Alright. Which one would like to buy?" The worker asked.

Pointing to the cage, Emi specified for him. "I would like this one." It was a greyish white cat with dark grey stripes going up and down it's back. The little guy was hiding in the corner of the cage afraid to approach anyone.

"Okay, sounds great. Just so that you know this one has been quite shy ever since he has been here. So, if you're looking for a more energetic cat, I would pick another one." The worker noted as he unlocked the cage.

"No, I'll stick with this one. He looks perfect." Emi noted.

"Well, he was brought in as a kitten by the owner, and they said they didn't want him anymore. If I remember right, he wasn't the only cat in that household, and there was a dog too."

Studying the kitten, Emi was sure he was about six months old. "Okay. Sounds good. He'll be in good hands." She smiled as he took out the cat out of the cage.

Taking the cat to the counter, the worker put the cat in a small box with holes on each side. "Alright. Well, he has had all his shots that he needs, but if you want him declawed or neutered, you'll have to go to a vet for that."

"Hmm, I think I'll pass on that for now. Thank you for letting me know about that though." Emi wasn't a big fan of the box, but it was what it was. Paying for her purchase, Emi finally made her way home. Upon arriving at her house, she found two men standing at her door. "Hey, no soliciting!" She yelled across the hall.

Turning around, Shouta gave a disgusted glare while Hizashi looked back and forth between the two confused about what was happening.

"What the hell, Emi…" Muttered Shouta as he stood there with his hands in his pockets.

"Honestly, I'll call the cops because it must be illegal to look that good," Emi responded with a twisted smile.

Palming his face, Shouta groaned. "Seriously Emi? Can't we stop with the jokes please?"

"Ummm, should I leave you two love birds alone?" Questioned Hizashi as he backed away with his hand held in the air at his chest.

Pursing her lips, Emi thought for a short second on how to reply. "All I wanted to ask is if you were a cat, Eraser because I'm feline a connection between us."

Pushing his hair back, Shouta realized that he could never convince Emi to stop with her horrible puns. "Fine, just let us in."

"So demanding, is this how you are in bed too?" Emi teased with a quick wink.

Turning around, Shouta furiously walked over to her. "Emi Fukukado, what the hell are you trying to prove? Don't you think you're going too far with this."

"Meow." Unsure of what was heard, they both stood there quietly. Watching Shouta's expression as he studied the box, Emi beamed. "Meow."

Pointing to the box, Shouta asked, "What do you have in the box, Emi?"

Persisting in hitting all of his buttons, Emi leered, "I don't know, Eraser. What do you think is in the box?"

"It sounds like a cat." Stated Shouta with his eyes still on the box.

"Well, if you want to find out. You have to come to follow me." Emi indicated as she walked away with the box in her hand. Reaching her door, she began to unlock the door.

Continuing to glance back and forth between the two, Hizashi hypothesized, "Should I leave? It honestly feels like you two have other business to attend to."

Grabbing Hizashi's wrist, Shouta dragged him into Emi's apartment. "No, you're coming along with us. I'm not letting you get away. You're now part of this situation just like the two of us are.

Making her way through her apartment, Emi's cat came running by. Setting the box on the counter, Emi asked her cat. "Do you want to know what is in the box, Amaya?"

Her cat sniffed at the box until it touched noses with the other cat. Not knowing what was in the box, Amaya ran away and sat in the corner of the counter.

"Well, whatever is it in the box must be some freaky type of thing since it scared your cat, Emi." Interjected Hizashi with his hands in his pockets.

Laughing at her dramatic cat, Emi answered, "No, my cat is a scaredy cat. She runs away from anything."

Pointing his thumb at Shouta, Hizashi advised Emi. "Well, Shouta the cat whisper over here can probably calm her down I bet."

"Ha, I would like to see you try! She hates to be held. You can put her in a box on your lap, and she'll be fine, but otherwise, she'll meow at you until you let you go." Emi noted as she began opening the box. Closing the box back up, she came up with what she thought was a cunning plan. Smirking at Shouta, she inclined, "So this is actually for you, Shouta. I bought it originally to say thanks and to give something I knew you'd love. However, now that I'm thinking about it. I should make this a proposal." Opening the box, Emi took out the cat and got down on one knee. "Shouta, will you accept this cat and go out with me?"

Astonished at what happened, Hizashi's jaw dropped.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Shouta groaned. "You're seriously not telling me you bought me a cat, are you?"

Rolling her eyes at him, she sarcastically responded, "No, I got the cat only for you, so you have to visit me every day to feed it."

Walking away, he uttered, "Well, if that's the case, you should have just gotten it for yourself."

Not having it, she told him off. "Aizawa Shota, you seriously think I'm going to force you to come here to take care of the cat." Leaving the room, she gently dropped the cat down onto the floor.  
Following Emi, Aizawa grabbed her wrist. "You wouldn't be unlike you to do something like that, Emi."

Turning around at Shota, Emi began to fight the tears forming in her eyes. "Shota, why can't you simply answer the question; it's a yes or a no."

Putting his hands on her cheeks, Shota pulled her forward pressing his lips against hers. Her lips soft fragile lips melted into his as he tenderly kissed her.

Widening her eyes, Emi swooned. His lips were warm and firm as she returned the kiss. Continuing the lock lips, she began to kiss him passionately.

"Look at you two lovebirds." Interrupted Hizashi. "Shota, tell Emi yes already. It's been obvious that the two you like each other."

Breaking their kiss the moment Hizashi called them out, they both blushed.

Turning to acknowledge Hizashi properly, Emi asked, "Hizashi, I didn't even ask you. Do you mind having a cat?"

Sighing, Hizashi answered, "Honestly, no, but I'm sure the two of you will move in together shortly after. Who knows maybe even after the baby is born."

Biting her lip, Emi stared at the ground speechless.

Glaring at Hizashi, Shouta gripped under her face lifting it to establish eye contact with her. "Emi, I need you to trust that whatever happens to us, we'll work through it together. Who knows how things will play out entirely, but we'll figure that along as we go."

Squinting her eyes at him, Emi pointed out to him. "Why couldn't you have said yes when I asked you? You made this so much more complex than it had to be and yet, men say women are the complicated ones."

Chuckling at Emi's comment, Hizashi noted, "That's because Shouta isn't a man. He's in his own category of gender."

Shooting Hizashi a nasty glare, Shota left the room.

"So, Hizashi. What did you guys want to tell me?" As she changed the subject, Emi heard a faint meow. "Shota, if you're looking for your cat, he's in here.

Re-entering the room, Shouta found the white cat sitting beside another cat. That one must have been Emi's he concluded. It was strange to think that however many times he had been to Emi's apartment, he had never seen her cat before now. "So your cat finally decides to show it's facing. I was beginning to think you were lying about your cat." Reaching down to pet her cat, the cat ran away leaving his cat the only still sitting there.

"Now, you found out why you never see her. She's probably been in the room with us before, but she's skittish to anything. I'm sure she'll warm up to you eventually, Shouta."

Picking up his cat, the little guy adjusted himself into his arms. It was strange to think that he was now a pet owner.

"You guys should name it after me since I'm going to become just a memory of the past looking at how things are going between the two of you," Hizashi stated. Walking out of the room, he waved before leaving her apartment. "I'm not sure why I came over, to be honest. Shouta said that we had something to discuss with you and I didn't even know what it was."

Glancing at Shouta, Emi saw him tighten his jaw. "What do you have to tell me?"

Stroking his cat in his arms, Shouta briefly looked up at Emi. "We can talk about it tomorrow. Don't worry. It's good news."Shouta added.

Nodding her head, Emi left the room to make them supper. It was nice to have someone who loved and cared for her for once. He even knew her well enough to know that if he didn't tell her what the news was, she would be thinking about it for the rest of the day. So the least he could do is tell her what type of news it was which he did. Searching around the kitchen to decide what to make, Emi shouted across the apartment. "Shouta, I'm about to make supper!"

Coming behind her, Shouta wrapped his arms around her kissing her cheek. "Let me help you with that."


	6. Abandon Me, Please

Staring at herself in the mirror, it wasn't hard for a bystander to put together that Emi had either gained a lot of weight or pregnant. Now at six months pregnant, it all felt like her time with her little one was going too fast. With everything that had happened in the last six months, it was hard for Emi to process that Shouta and her were now dating, especially after her incredibly bizarre proposal, while being pregnant. Of course, it hadn't been her plan to get pregnant, but with her getting defiled and not remembering much, there wasn't a lot she could do about her situation. Now that Emi and Shouta had been dating for two months, they saw a lot more of each other than before, even though they had agreed on seeing each other regularly to make sure Emi was doing well mentally, and physically.

Because her parents hadn't shown much support, Emi went to her coworkers and friends for support. She knew nothing about making sure she got the proper nutrition, so she went into the clinic and classes on how to have a successful pregnancy. With a lot of people waiting until their thirties to have kids in Japan, it was quite strange to have a woman in her twenties going to these classes. However, Emi persevered through it all. Emi got dirty looks a lot of the time since she was a single mom, but she told herself if they knew what had happened to her they would perhaps have more respect for her except the ones who thought she should have gotten an abortion. Making it her goal to ensure that the baby was going to be healthy with her life choices, she was sure that someone would heavily consider adopting her baby.

Pressing her lips together, Emi found it challenging to focus on the movie, Shouta and her were watching. Contemplating whether or not she should take his attention off of the film, she stared into the corner of the theater daydreaming. With it being chilly within the movie theater, Emi cuddled up next to Shouta. "It's freezing in here. I wanted to watch a movie, but now I'm regretting that decision. The smell of the popcorn is making me sick from everyone else having it, and too loud in here for me to process my thoughts." Assuming that he was probably annoyed with her, her lip trembled as attempted to hold in her tears.

Grasping her chin, Shouta turned her head to face him. Discovering she had tears in her eyes, he got up and grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's go." Not being able to deal with seeing her so distraught, he led her out of the theater.

Feeling guilty about being the reason that they left, Emi apologized, "Shouta, we don't have to leave. You paid for us, so shouldn't we make the most out of it?" Tugging on his arm to stop him from leaving, she instead got pulled into his arms.

Whispering into her ear from behind, he indicated, "Emi, stop making a scene. It's embarrassing. I don't care if I paid for it or not, I would rather have you enjoying yourself than force you to do something I know you're not enjoying."

Recognizing that Shouta was right, she followed him out of the theater. They got a few strange looks from the employees as they walked out, but it bothered Emi more than it did Shouta. Exiting the building, the two of them grabbed a taxi back to Shouta's place. With Shouta pulling towards him, she turned her head, acknowledging him. "Shouta, I'm sorry for being so hard to please. It feels like anything we do turns me off now."

Empathetic, Shouta cuddled Emi close to her, assuring her, "Emi, don't worry about it. You're perfectly fine. Don't worry about me; I want you to be happy." Turning her face to make eye contact with her, he confided in her, "Emi, I need you to know that I love you no matter what your body does to you. It's all apart of your pregnancy, but we only have to wait three more months for that."

Moving her eyes to the side, Emi struggled to find any words. It felt like she was a consistent problem for everyone, no matter who it was, but especially her Shouta. Looking back at him, she asked him. "How the hell have you not had enough of me, though? I've had enough of myself already and yet; you tell me that you love me? STOP LYING!" Noticing they had stopped, Emi got out of the taxi to run away from the situation.

Panicking inside, Shouta gave the driver more than enough money. "Here, keep the tip." Quickly getting out of the taxi, Shouta sprinted, chasing Emi as she ran away. "EMI, STOP! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET AWAY FROM ME! YOU WON'T EVER PUSH ME AWAY, NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY!" It was extremely tiring to deal with Emi when she was like this, but if he couldn't deal with Emi when she was at her worst why should he have her when she was at her best? Inches away from her, Aizawa typically would have captured her with his scarf, but since they were on a date, he didn't have his weapon with him. Knowing he could grab her clothes and pull her toward him, he decided against it, considering he might tear her clothes and because she was pregnant. Clasping her arm, he lightly pulled her to him as he began to slow down. Getting her to slow down, he embraced her in his arms, knowing she was about to break down.

Unable to cope with the current situation, Emi broke down sobbing into Shouta's chest as he held her in his arms. Attempting to tell Shouta how she felt, Emi choked on her words as she spoke. "Shouta, why...don't you...leave me? You...don't...deserve any...of this…"

Having enough of this, Shouta picked her up and carried her in his arms. Looking down at her, Shouta soothed her, "Emi, I will never leave you. I could never do that to you." Slightly turning his head to the side, Shouta informed her, "Let's go back to my place. We figure out something from there."

Lifting her face, Emi stared at him with loving eyes. Smiling at him with her tear-stained face, she agreed with him, "I would like that. I'm sorry for being so complicated…" Kissing his cheek, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Laying her head on his shoulder, Emi found herself falling asleep. "Thank you, Shouta, for being so kind." Struggling to keep her eyes open, Emi soon drifted off.

Noting that Emi wasn't talking at all, Shouta glanced down at his girlfriend lying in his arms. Seeing that she was asleep, he pecked her cheek as he walked them home. He had to admit Emi was a lot of work, but ever since he got to know Emi, he felt a sense of purpose in his life. Of course, his hero dictated and gave him a purpose in life. Instead of always focusing on work, he had a reason to spend more time on his personal life. Not many people had known about Emi and him, but he was okay if no one knew about their relationship yet. Making it to Hizashi and his apartment, Shouta carried Emi throughout the building until he reached his place. Unlocking the door, he opened the door and made his way to his bedroom, setting Emi down on his bed so that she could sleep.

Waking up, Emi scanned the room. Where was she? Wasn't she last with Shouta? Greeted by Shouta's cat, Emi quickly realized she was at Shouta's place. "Hello, Yamato. Can you bring me to daddy?" Emi hated the name Shouta had picked out for the cat since he said it was the reason they were still together. It was meant to be a joke, but she didn't think it was amusing considering bought "harmony" between the two of them. Standing up, Emi followed the cat out of the bedroom. "Shouta, why did you allow me to sleep in? What time is it even? I ruined everything!" All she wanted to do was spend time with her significant other, and all she kept on doing was ruining the time they spent together. Interrupting him before he could say anything, Emi began bawling. Staring into his eyes, she confessed, "Shouta, how can you deal with me? I can't even handle myself! My heart feels like it's been broken thousands of times with a jackhammer and this baby! I can't handle being pregnant! It's all too much, Shouta!" Falling on her knees, Emi cried on the floor.

Running over to her, Shouta helped her sit up. Spotting that she had tear stains under her eyes, he took her to the bathroom to clean up. "Emi, let me help clean you up." Knowing that he would never do this for anyone else, Shouta realized a while ago that he felt different about Emi. He had never dated anyone, but even with his encounters, he never felt the same way when he had his first time with Emi. Walking her to the bathroom, he sat her on the counter and took a wet cloth to wipe the stains under her eyes. "Emi, I've told you before. I care way too much about you. I will continue to care for you until the day you or I die." Biting the inside of his cheek, Shouta gave her a loving glare. Caressing her cheek, he smiled at her before he gently pressed her lips with his. Breaking away from her lips, Shouta leaned his forehead against hers, confessing his love for her. "Emi, I love you so, so much. I could never bring myself to leave you because I know I could never handle it."

Staring back at him with glossy eyes, Emi hesitated to say anything. It was difficult to grasp his words. Did he feel this way, or was this some way to help her cope with her current situation. Stuttering, Emi dictated for him, "Shouta, I...don't know what...to say. It's...all so much...to take in. I don't...know if I can believe that. I've...been hurt so much. I know I should be able...to trust you, but...my heart is questioning it. I think...we should say goodbye...to each other. This way, you...won't have to deal...with the constant problem in your life, me." Glaring down at her lap, Emi was waiting for him to kick her out after she told him it would be best for them to break up.

He was hurt to hear her say such a thing, but if it were what she wanted, he would have to accept it. Holding up her face, Shouta made eye contact with her, asking, "Is that what you want, Emi?"

A few tears fell down Emi's cheeks as thought through her answer. Squeezing her eyes shut, she responded doubtfully, "I don't know...I don't think so." If she kicked him out of her life now, she knew she would regret it in the morning. Right now, she didn't care. She was still so overwhelmed with everything that had happened. With only being twenty-one years old, she already had her future taken away from her in many ways. A lot of people didn't look at her the same anymore. Yes, she didn't go out as Ms. Joke since she found out she was pregnant, but that didn't mean that it hurt any less. It had been her dream to create a name for herself as a future hero, and she couldn't do that with being pregnant. Struggling to remember what had happened that night, she had a gut feeling she was on patrol. Wondering if he heard anything about it in the news or anywhere else, Emi interrogated him, "Shouta, did you hear anything about what happened the night I got assaulted?"

Startled, Shouta shook his head. He hadn't heard anything and certainly if he did, he would have told her by now already. "No, I haven't, Emi."

Flustered, Emi looked away as her brows drew together. Closing her eyes and glaring back at her, she confessed, "All I remember from that night was that I was on patrol and everything was going alright until I hit the ground. My body was paralyzed, no matter what I tried, it didn't work. My quirk didn't work. I couldn't scream, nothing. I don't remember what he looked like, but I think I recall his voice." Staring at the ground, she added, "I remember him saying something like, 'Looks like no one has claimed this flower yet. Today must be my lucky day.' After he stuck himself in…." Emi bawled as she began recollecting her memories that she had stashed away for so long. It was so much to take in to remind herself what had happened that night.

Stroking her hair, Shouta assured her. "Emi, it's okay. You don't need to share anything else with me if you don't want to." Discovering Hizashi was home, Shouta gave him a dirty look and indicated to him to leave the room. Receiving a thumbs up, Hizashi left the room to go to his bedroom or the bathroom. Embracing Emi, Shouta gently rubbed her back in an attempt to soothe her.

Only sniffling, Emi was aware, she had to tell him more about what occurred. "Shouta, his voice...his voice was scruffy...scratchy...low." Recollecting everything from when she was barely conscious was difficult, but she was determined to tell him everything. "I remember seeing a man with blue eyes. Yeah, he had blue eyes. I remember since that is so uncommon, especially in Japan."

Lightly stroking the side of her face, Shouta held her chin up with his hand resting beneath and his thumb on top. Softly smiling at her, he suggested, "Let's go to bed for the night. We can talk about this in the morning or whenever you want to talk about it. Hell, we don't have to talk about it." Knowing there was a small chance of them finding him ever, he felt like there wasn't much of a point to go on the search for the man when she knew nothing about him. However, knowing that he had blue eyes and a low, raspy voice may help him get some lead along with searching for someone with a quirk that paralyzes people. Helping her onto her feet, he guided her toward his bedroom. "Hey, do you need to use the bathroom before we go to bed?" With her shaking her head, he continued to lead her to the bedroom where he undressed her and clothed her into something comfy. At first, she fought him when he indicated that he could get her ready for bed, but she gave him when she figured out it might be useful for her since she was so tired in the first place. Getting her into bed after he got dressed, got into bed and tucked them in, embracing her from behind as the two fell asleep.


End file.
